Soul of the Guardian
by Horselvr4evr123
Summary: Through the unforeseen sacrifice of a small Southern town, Ed and Al find themselves back in their world. Now they have to hunt down and stop the Mistress before she succeeds in reviving her Master. What fate shall befall the Elric Brothers? Post CoS
1. Chapter 1

Here's the second of the....three stories? I think. (scratches head) Huh. I'll have to look. Maybe four? Anyway, please let me know what you think of this chapter (meh, prologue. What'ev). There's more to come and soon, so don't fret. However, more reviews equals faster updates. (suggestive eyebrow twitch...what _is_ that called? I for the life of me can't remember what the proper word[s] for it is.)

Anywho, I'll be uploading the first chapter of my main stories and seeing which one you guys like the most once maybe the second or third chapter of each has been uploaded. It'll be up to you to decide which story I'll be focusing on the most so don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: Like Ed is tall, I own FMA. Since we all know he isn't tall. At all. (dodges random flying objects) I therefore don't own FMA nor will I ever no matter how much I beg. Or will I...? (devious grin appears...)

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_**Soul Of The Guardian**_

_**Chapter 1**_

_February 9__th__, 1926_

_Dear Journal,_

_As of today it has been roughly five years since I had first arrived in this world, only three for my brother Alphonse. Written in a previous passage is everything that I have seen, heard, felt, learned, and loved. The only reason I would ever write any of this down is because...well, I fear that one day I will forget. These memories are all I have of the other side, besides the new automail that Winry gave me to use. Though he has yet to admit it aloud, I can tell that Al does miss the other side too. _

_However, we both know that finding a way back is dangerous, seeing as how the Thule Society tried to open the Gate to the other side. They broke through with their horrible flying machines, covered in what I can only describe as black goo, most likely from the Gate itself. They attacked Amestris and killed many people in pure fear of the world they had just entered. They feared it and so they felt our native world should be destroyed! Anyway, after Al and I passed through and destroyed the Gate, we vowed that we would not try to get back home so long as there were people like that group out there. It would be too dangerous and too risky. Besides, Alchemy can't be used on this side anyway. How it worked in that building in Munich I still don't have a clue._

For a moment the writer stopped, gathering his thoughts. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone came looking for him. Silence was something he craved when it came to writing in his Journal. With a sigh, he put down his pen and tucked a stray lock of golden bangs behind one ear. A smile traced his lips lightly as he thought of more to write down. Without wasting a moment he picked up the pen and continued.

_On a lighter note, Al and I just left from a country called Great Britain and are on our way to North America, more specifically the United States of America. Enclosed is a map of the world. The maps have certainly gotten better, but they are still not of the high quality as the ones made on the other side. Both Al and I can't wait until we get off this damn boat. It's a little crowded and very...blah. I don't know how else to explain the trip across the Atlantic Ocean. It's definitely not a smooth ride. Poor Al, he's probably outside, leaning over the edge trying not to puke. Of course, that hasn't gone so well so far during this transatlantic trip._

Ed jumped up and ran to the steps, stuffing his journal and pen into one of his inner pockets. Climbing up the steps, he stopped just as his head stuck up from the square opening.

He looked around, wondering what his brother was doing, though he had a feeling he knew. A small smile reappeared on his lips as he spotted his brother nearly hanging over the edge, green as...green as...

His eyes instantly fell upon a large, green object standing tall in the distance. Luckily they were just close enough to make out what it was. Again he quickly pulled out his journal and pen, scribbling that current thought down into his journal.

_The sun is setting and I can already see the very edge of the shoreline...is that a big...green...robed woman standing there holding a book and an ice-cream cone? Man is she ugly._

No longer could he stand to see the statue. Though it was beautifully crafted and intricately designed, it was...tall. That and it just didn't pose him as just...beautiful. Only it's craftsmanship was nice. Not a moment passed when he wrote down that bit when he ducked back down into the storage place, finding his old spot and settling back in. Some voices from above could be heard, muffled at first, until they came near the entrance of the storage space.

_Oh! I just heard from above that it's the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French. And get this, she's made of copper but because she's on an island off the coast of...New York, and surrounded by water, the chemical reaction between the sea water and the copper makes her look green._

Edward sighed, putting down his pen again for a moment. He smiled as he embraced the chemical formulas that instantly passed through his mind. Copper, its make up, the reaction with water, etc. It fell slightly when he looked up towards the small opening. Only thin streams of sunlight made their way into the storage space below deck through the open entranceway on the ships port-side, connecting the storage to the open level above. The retreating rays of the sun lit the clouds up, pinks, oranges, red, purples.

Amestris had many lakes and large bodies of water, but the country itself wasn't surrounded by water, like an ocean or even have beaches. When there were clouds, only a few would drift across the sky. Only one place reached close enough to a body of water to get more than just a few clouds.

Golden eyes glazed over as memories of his hometown Resembool flashed through his mind. White, fluffy clouds always drifted lazily over the country town, keeping it covered from the sun just enough to allow the grassy fields to get enough rain, water, and shade with enough sunlight to stay healthy.

The blond shook his head, clearing away the thoughts of his hometown. Despite missing the other side, it also hurt to remember. Because that's all he would ever be able to do, remember. Never to create those kinds of memories again. They were stuck and that was that. The only reason he ever wrote it down was because he didn't want his memories to disappear completely as time went on. He and Al had learned a lot from their experiences on the other side, so to completely forget, and allowing that to happen, would mean that everything they had been through, every wound they had felt whether it was physical or emotional, every person they met, and every place they had traveled to had been for nothing.

Ed wasn't going to just let that happen. So, at the start of his and Alphonse's journey around the world to learn more about it and rocket science, he decided to start two journals, only one of them known to Al. One would be what they learned in this world, both being able to use it, and a personal one only Ed could use. Currently he was using his personal one, alone in the storage space below deck. It was nearly silent down there and, over the time of their journey across the ocean, he had found it to be the best place to think and write in his journal.

Footsteps could be heard, slowly making their way down the steps and into the storage space. Not wanting anyone to find him writing in some journal, Ed quickly finished his entry.

_Well, that's all for now. I may not have a chance to write for a few days, seeing as how we'll have to get off the ship and find a place to stay. _

_So, until then,_

_Edward Elric_

Just as the footsteps reached the bottom of the steps, Ed closed the journal and re-wrapped the dark brown leather binding, shoving it under his dark brown overcoat.

"Brother? You down here?" Ed perked up slightly at the voice and forced himself to his feet. Al turned around, smiling as his older brother popped up from behind some crates.

"What are you doing down here, again?" Al asked, raising an eyebrow as his brother stumbled forward. Edward regained his balance and waved off the question. Al rolled his eyes as his brother nearly jumped up the stairs.

The two made it up to the deck just in time to watch the Statue of Liberty pass them by.

"Man, she really _is_ ugly. Especially up close." Ed joked, putting one hand on his hip and placing the other above his eyes on his forehead, as if shielding it from the fading rays of the sun, staring up at the large green statue.

Al gave his brother a look but said nothing, though mentally agreeing. Of course it was rude to say anything disrespectful about anything, especially if it was French. Ed had lost his cool with some people in France, insulting them with his poor French, at the time, and so they were kicked out of the hotel. Of course, only Al really learned from that experience. Ed could really care less.

As the boat made it's way into the harbor, Al turned to Ed and smiled, "Well, looks like a whole new adventure is about to begin, Brother. More people to meet, more places to see, more rocket science to discover..."Al trailed off, staring at his brother for a moment. He had stayed silent for longer than he usually did.

"Brother? Is something wrong?" Al asked, facing him completely. Ed turned his head and smiled.

"Not really. It's just that my twenty-first birthday is coming up and...well," Edward turned to looked up at the stars, placing his hands in his pockets, "I always thought I would spend it with my friends and family back in Resembool."

Al's eyes softened slightly, looking up to the stars as well. "I know it won't be anything like you would have wanted, but we can celebrate it together, just as we have the past few years."

Ed blinked and turned back to Al, smiling. With a nod, he turned back up to the stars.

"Thanks Al. We'll make this one unforgettable. After all, we're the Elric Brothers, and anything we do never goes uncharted."

The boat came to a stop and shouts could be heard, telling everyone that it was time to get off. Shaken from their rare, aimless thoughts, the Brothers gathered their luggage and disembarked.

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A month had passed since their journey across the ocean. They had traveled through New York to many other states. By now they were tired and needed a small break. Currently down in the South, they arrived in a small town known for it's incredible amount of cotton farming. Little did they realize, more than just a vacation lay in store.

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Please be kind and review! These reviews will help determine which story is liked the most. The Poll I'll be putting up will not strictly determine the top story but will equally influence the end result, especially if there's a tie. Click the perdy green button that's all by it's lonesome. Yeah, that one riiiiiiight below these words. XD


	2. Chapter 2

The first chapter didn't get any ridicule so I'm assuming I did something right, although the lack of reviews has me a bit worrisome. Perhaps this story isn't ready to be posted yet? Perhaps I should just take it off and save it for later? Unless you want this off...let me know _**in your reviews**_ both how the story is so far and whether or not it needs revising. I mean, I kind of understand. It was nearly a year or so ago that I started writing this. My writing style _has_ changed significantly since then...Hmm... Well, you all will just have to let me know what you think. (Grins)

Disclaimer: Just like Ed is tall, I own FMA. However, since we all know the former is untrue, that regrettably makes the latter untrue as well. (pooh...)

Enjoy!

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_**Soul Of The Guardian**_

_**Chapter 2**_

A light wind brushed across the grassy fields from east to west. Deep green grass bristles swayed lightly in the breeze. Light, fluffy clouds floated freely across the clear blue sky. A dirt road split through this grassy field, leading to a small town.

Two figures made their way down the path, one happily humming as he walked on, the other straining to continue.

"Come on, Brother!" Al grinned. "You can do it!" The other merely glared at him and grunted, his body sore and exhausted. More than anything he wanted to just take a rest.

"Come on, Al. Let's just...take a rest for a few moments. _Please_." He added, letting his glare melt into a pleading look. Al laughed as Ed's lips slipped into a playful pout. Alphonse's laugh grew. Through it he nodded, stopping. They had just made it to the top of a small hill, overlooking the mass fields of nothing but grass and some flowers in random places.

Without a word, Ed let his legs collapse beneath him, a sigh of relief escaping him as he leaned back on his hands. A soft wind caressed his hair, as if playing with his loose, golden bangs. It would have been nice had it not been for his open overcoat flapping wildly. Ed growled slightly, carefully yanking off the dark brown coat to reveal his dark brown slacks and equally brown vest over a long sleeve white shirt.

Following his brother's action, seeing as how it was just too hot to keep his own, lighter brown overcoat on, he too pulled off his coat. His clothes were the same as Ed's, only a few shades lighter. Lazily, Ed kicked off his black boots, one of the few things he had kept from the other side.

"Brother," Al scolded, placing his hands on his hips. Taking off his coat was fine, but his shoes? "you really should keep your shoes on. We're not staying here for long."

Ed merely rolled his eyes and let his upper body fall flat to the ground behind him. Ignoring his brother's nagging, Ed closed his eyes and folded his arms behind his head.

Small breezes whipped past them, carrying different scents through the air. Each scent was soft and calming, making the older brother more drowsy than before. Because they were on a hill with a great view, Al took this chance to look in the direction they were traveling.

Just beyond a slightly smaller hill then the one the brothers resided on was what looked like a small town. Maybe that was where they would be able to take that vacation Edward promised!

Unfortunately for the elder brother, Al wasn't going to let Ed just fall asleep.

Al turned back to Ed and bent down, shaking his shoulders. When he didn't budge, Al became annoyed, shaking him even harder. Ed muttered something inaudible but did nothing else other than move his head to one side. Al, wanting to get to the town before nightfall and fall asleep in a hotel, _not _on the dirt road just outside the town, got up and moved to his brother's side.

Grinning slightly, Al lightly kicked Ed in the side and jumped away, making sure he had his coat. Ed jerked away, clutching his side. Glaring at the only other person around him, Ed shot up and shook his fist in the air. "What the [_heck_] was that for?"

Al laughed and picked up his suitcase, racing to the town. Ed blinked before letting a smirk form. Oh, he was going to get his butt whooped alright. Barely clutching his suitcase and overcoat, Ed ran after his brother, laughing as he yelled out, "You're gonna pay for that cheap shot, Alphonse!"

Neither realized a pair of silver eyes were watching them rather curiously.

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The brothers stopped just as they passed the town's slightly weathered welcome sign, struggling to catch their breaths. Al was bent over, hands on his knees, while Ed stood up straight, regaining his breath faster. After all, Al's body hadn't been used for four years until he had gotten it back. Even though he had been through a lot since the time he regained his body thanks to Ed, it still lacked the amount of endurance his brother's had.

Finally they both got their breath back, ready to make their way into town. It wasn't long before they grabbed their luggage and took their firsts steps.

It was a small but spacious town. No more than fifty buildings were there, each made of wood. Every house had a good amount of back, side, and front yard. It seemed as though everyone was well off. Such a rare thing to find, especially in a small town like this.

As they made their way through the town, the Brothers took note of all the business buildings in the area. A small, in-home restaurant, a bank, grocery store, Hospital/Doctor's Office, and...where was the hotel?

Ed scratched his head, looking around. Where_ was_ the hotel? Was there even one here? Of all places to stay for their little vacation, this one didn't have a hotel. It wasn't a confirmed fact, but Ed was pretty sure of it.

Al put down his suitcase and walked up to a nearby house, knocking on the door. An old woman answered and the two greeted each other politely before Alphonse asked for directions. Ed rolled his eyes and mumbled, "We don't need directions. We can figure it out on our own."

His mutters went unnoticed as Alphonse finished talking with the old woman, thanking her before leaving. She closed the door, leaving the Brothers outside to discuss what they were going to do, having found out that there was no hotel, not even an Inn.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a dark haired, tan skinned young woman ran from a small group of thugs that were chasing her. The leader held a dirty grin on his grungy face as he laughed, holding out his hands, ready to grab her.

"Help! Someone, help me!" She screamed, trying so hard to keep up her speed and keep out of arms length from them. She ran past the town's barn and park, the center of town, heading in the direction of the business area.

"Help!" She yelled again, desperate for someone to be kind enough to help her get rid of these greedy, lust filled men.

Ed looked up, hearing her frightened pleas becoming louder and louder. It wasn't long before she came into view, followed closely by the men chasing her. In her slightly higher than flat shoes, it was a wonder she hadn't tripped already. Of course, there was a first time for everything.

The girl let out a surprise shriek as she slipped on a large rock which laid among other slightly smaller ones and fell ungraciously to the ground. Wearing only hand crafted mid thigh light blue shorts and lighter blue blouse, there was not much cloth to protect her frail body.

Small scrapes appeared on her otherwise flawless skin, some bruises bound to appear on the side she fell on. Ed set down his suitcase carefully so as to not attract any unneeded attention before he got there.

Preoccupied with their target, none of the three men noticed Ed come walking closer.

The three men approached the frightened young woman who tried desperately to crawl away, fear clearly evident on her delicate features. This only seemed make the men's grins widen as they began to gang up on her.

Being a small town, there wasn't much of a police force, more just vigilantes who volunteered to help protect the it from the rare threats the town might encounter. It was in this moment that one would prove their worth, but of course none were around when they were actually needed.

The apparent leader pulled back his hand, ready to strike her, and leaned closer to her. His foul breath caused her to unconsciously cringe and try harder to get away. Grabbing her wrist with his other hand, he forced her to stay put. The brunette whimpered, whispering her pleas for him to let her go.

She hated feeling so helpless. Normally she would kick their [butt] and look down upon the fools who dared to mess with her sprawled on the ground with a smirk on her face and hands on her hips. However, these men were much different from the ones at her school. They were a real threat and from the looks of things, they could and would unimaginable things to her if things continued the way they were going.

The leading gang member pulled her even closer until their noses were almost touching. "Nice clothes, girly. It makes them even easier to take off." He sneered, looking her up and down.

The woman flinched, her breath caught in her throat as she closed her eyes and turned her head away. She couldn't believe this was happening, in broad daylight, in the middle of town. Was no one around? Did anyone even care?

She was surprised by the sudden release of her wrist and a grunt to her left. Instinctively she pulled her hand to her chest, the other holding it close. A few more grunts caught her attention and tentatively she opened her eyes.

A brown and white clad blond stood between her and the three men, the two followers on the ground holding their stomachs in obvious pain.

The leader too held a hand to his stomach but was glaring at the man, his gaze intimidating and challenging. That didn't seem to affect her apparent savior. In fact, he slipped into a more comfortable fighting stance.

Without waiting for the leader to regain his composure, Ed leaped forward and kicked him hard in the stomach, this time with his automail leg. The man staggered back from the blow, pain etched into his face.

Al raced over to the fight but stayed out of harms way.

"Brother! Are you alright?" Ed turned back and gave him a pointed look, hands clenched tight. In the split second of being distracted, the leader, who had just recovered from his blow, took this chance to force his thick muscled arm around her thin, petite neck.

The man, still unaware of Ed's automail, taunted him. At first it didn't affect the young man in the least...until he brought up something Edward never thought he would have to hear again.

His height.

Al slapped his face, fully aware of what was going to happen next, and muttered, "That's the _last_ thing you should have done."

The man glanced at him, confused, then looked back at Edward who was fuming. If one squinted, they could see feint trails of smoke rising from his ears.

Not even going to try to hold his brother back, Al watched, flinching and wincing, as Ed pummeled the men. It didn't take long for him to beat enough sense into them to run away. The woman was tossed to the ground and out of harms way. Al raced to her side and helped her sit up, making sure she wasn't hurt.

Ed held up a balled fist and shook it as he yelled, "Yeah! You better run! Next time I'll go all out and show you no mercy!" Ed huffed and pretended to wipe any remaining filth of those men from his hands.

The woman looked from Al to Ed and whispered, "He wasn't even giving it his all?" Al smiled and looked up at his brother who let his arms fall to his side as he turned back around to face them. "Yes. He's very good." She looked back at Al, giving him a look.

"What?" He asked, looking himself over like he had gotten something all over him. "I just noticed that you have an accent." Al froze and turned back to her, grinning sheepishly.

"Yeah, he's still learning English so he's still got a minor accent when speaking it." Ed explained, his English fluent and free of an accent.

With Al's help, she stood up and dusted herself off. Ed asked Al to go get their luggage, there not being much between them because of how much they traveled. They had learned the hard way, _fast_, that traveling light was much easier.

Al trudged off, muttering how lazy his brother was.

The woman laughed lightly as Ed forcefully ignored the comment. Turning to her he asked, "So, what's your name?" She stopped laughing and smiled, "My name is Teri, Teri Hills."

Ed introduced himself as Edward Heiderich, just as Al approached with their two small suitcases and added, "And I'm Alphonse Heiderich."

"You're last name, aren't they-?"

"German? Yeah. But don't fret. It's our...father's last name, but we're far from German." Ed told her, coming up with the lie on the spot with ease as he gathered his luggage and looked around. Heiderich had been less known in the Thule Society as Elric had been so the brothers had taken on the name, carrying on their friend's name in remembrance for his actions that led the Elric Brothers to being reunited again after two agonizing years of separation.

"Ah, geez. Aren't there any decent motels or...what do they call them, inns?" Ed asked, scratching his head as he looked around. Teri smiled, relieved they weren't German, in fear they were part of the German raids in the war or in some way associated with those Nazis. That was the last thing she needed, helping people as bad as those men that were chasing her earlier or worse.

Teri's smile widened slightly and turned around, walking away. "I know a place where you guys can stay for a few days. Follow me. Besides, I need to thank you somehow for helping me earlier."

Al picked up his suitcase and grinned, "Thanks Teri!" Ed quickly grabbed his own suitcase and raced after them, "Hey! Wait up!"

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Ed's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, dropping his suitcase as he stared at the large house.

"It's not much. I hope it'll due." Teri smiled sheepishly as she walked up to the wine red double French doors. The house had two stories, almost the size of a mansion but just didn't quite meet the definition of one. Beautiful, crystal clear windows lined the first floor with closed blue curtains made of satin. The second floor had stained glass windows, each a unique design. The roof was a simple brown and the house itself was white.

As Ed gave the house a look-over, amazed at it's size and simple yet beautiful architecture, Al caught up with Teri and joked about her family being very Patriotic. Teri laughed, stopping as she entered the house, hiding her sad smile.

After a moment of analyzing the large house, Ed finally realized they had left him behind and grabbed his suitcase, racing after them, "Hey! Wait up!"

"..._Again_!"

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The moment they entered the house, they were greeted by a maid who kindly took their things. Teri introduced Ed and Al to the maid who nodded with a smile, then began to ascend the stairs, ready to show the brothers their rooms. The three-some made their way up the stairs, just around the corner to the right of the front door and across the hall from the dining room, the maid right behind them. Many family, and single, pictures and portraits lined the pink wallpapered wall.

Ed's eyes wondered over each one of them, suddenly remembering the few that had been taken of his family. Even less of the those pictures had their father in it.

Al's concerned look and hand lightly grasping his shoulder shook him of his thoughts. Edward smiled and assured Alphonse he was alright, just thinking. Shrugging it off, Al continued up the last few steps, not far from their gracious provider of shelter.

Just steps behind his brother, Edward finally made it up the stairs, looking around. This seemed to be the only staircase leading to the upstairs. _'Odd.'_ he thought, moving forward. From what he could tell, there were a few rooms whose closed cedar wood doors kept him from determining their purpose. After a few doors the hall made an abrupt turn to the left, making it impossible, without investigation, to know what lay beyond that corner.

Ed mentally laughed, realizing what he was doing. He was trying to learn the layout of the building, something he had learned to do, the first thing one would do when entering a building, if one were in the military. But he wasn't anymore, so this was unnecessary. Besides, it would be rude to sneak around without a legitimate reason, especially if the one giving you a place to stay out of kindness and thanks found out and didn't like it. They could just as easily throw him and Alphonse out and he wasn't about to let that happen.

Teri stopped at the closest door, waiting for them to get closer. Just as Edward walked up, she turned the silver knob and opened the door, revealing a simple but very luxurious room. Al's breath hitched as he took a step inside, looking around with a slowly spreading smile. A stained glass window resided a few feet from the ground, across the room from the door. To the right lay a hardwood desk with a deep red finish. A matching chair was tucked into the space below the desk's top, a soft blue cushion sewn onto it's seat.

A four poster bed, stained the same color as the desk, sat to their left, a light blue sheet matching the chair's cushion resting softly upon the semi-firm twin-sized mattress. At the foot of the bed stood a knee high dresser, more than big enough for their clothes.

Ed walked in right after Alphonse, his facial expression slowly mirroring his brother's. Turning back to Teri, he smiled and thanked her. He couldn't really think of anything else to say at the moment.

"This is a single room. Sorry. I'm afraid one of you'll have to take the one next to it. As you can see," Teri said, pointing at the bed, "There's only one bed."

Without giving his brother a chance to even process the information, Al nodded and grabbed his things. Ed watched, clearly confused, as his brother grinned and left the room.

"Dinner should be ready in an hour or so, so just relax until then. We'll send someone for you when it's ready." Teri smiled and before Ed could get out a word, she left, closing the door.

With a sigh, Ed walked over to his suitcase the maid had placed near the door before following Al to his room. He took out his two Journals, placing them on the nightstand which stood beside the bed on it's right. He was too lazy to put them away so the nightstand would have to do for now.

The blond placed his hands on his hips, wondering what to do until dinner. After a minute of trying to think of something, he finally gave up and flopped onto the bed. Then a thought came to him. They had been traveling for a while and dinner would be soon, so why not change into some clean clothes? Practically jumping off the bed, quiet and skilled, he grabbed brown slacks, a white long-sleeved shirt, and brown vest from his suitcase and changed.

_'Much better.'_ He thought with a smile as he sat down on the bed. Now that he had changed, what should he do until dinner? Again ideas of what to do came up dry and an irritated sigh emanated from his slightly chapped lips. He licked them, deciding it would just be a waste of time to even think at the moment. So instead, he got back off the bed and traveled to his suitcase. With a click, the container for his clothes and other miscellaneous objects opened.

It wasn't long before he had finally found something to occupy his time. Slowly he placed his clothes into the drawers, fiddling with a shirt and tripping over his shoes numerous times. With a grunt he pushed himself up, mumbling profound curses at the inanimate objects which had caused him so much trouble. Though it was his fault for not paying attention to their whereabouts he wasn't about to admit it. So instead cursing at his wardrobe would have to do.

Someone rapped on a nearby door. The footsteps began again, this time getting louder. Within seconds a knock came to his door, no doubt alerting him of dinner. Ed looked out the top part of the window that wasn't stain glass, a thin, three inch section at the top, and realized just how long he had taken just to put a few things away.

He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his bangs, pushing them out of his eyes. Slipping on his shoes, Ed gave himself a look over. It wasn't smart to look bad when first meeting someone, especially someone's parents. It would otherwise be a bad first impression.

Content, he left his room, meeting Alphonse out in the hall just as he was leaving his own room. Ed smiled at his younger brother, realizing just how similarly they dressed. Al was for lighter shades, like the light brown version of Ed's clothing, while darker shades better suited the elder's interest.

The two made their way down the stairs, meeting up with Teri and her cotton-farming parents.

The father looked young but his eyes held a sternness that came from years of farming. He analyzed the two men before him, his gaze seemingly burrowing deep into their souls. The brothers smiled politely, trying to suppress simultaneous shivers that threatened to race up and down their spines.

The wife wasn't much different, her head held high as if she considered herself royalty. She certainly dressed that way. Her clothes were of the finest material and latest in style, not that she had anyone other than her family to show it off to.

Both held an air of superiority and the way they looked over Edward and Alphonse was as if they were sizing them up. Not even letting them talk, they turned around and made their way to the kitchen where the cooks were just adding the finishing touches of the meals.

Edward and Alphonse sat on one side of the table while Teri sat across from them. Her parents quietly sat themselves at either end of the table. The hardwood table seated six people, each person having their own set of plates, cups, utensils, and wool placemats, each of a unique grotesque design of swirls and various other simple shapes.

The dining room was a fair size, various shelves of many shapes and sizes filled the walls, holding many small trinkets and décor.

Silence sank around and between them, soaking everyone in the room with uncomfortable tension. Teri glanced between her guests and her parents, sighing inwardly at her parents' lack of interest.

Brown eyes slid over to the blonds and wondered how they were able to keep such calm composures. It was as if they'd been given the cold shoulder many times before. Even as gray and golden orbs glanced up at the quiet adults sitting at the heads of the clothed table, they they only held mild confusion and curiosity but an obvious sign of holding back, their faces blank and respectfully withdrawn.

Silverware clinked lightly at random against the dishes, the only sound in the room other than the rare scuffling of maids' and butlers' shoes on the polished wooden floors. Teri was beginning to become annoyed at the tense silence and it became more and more obvious as her lips formed a scowl.

A maid's presence lifted their attention from their now empty plates as she and a few others walked around the table and grabbed said dishes. Taking the time between dinner and dessert to speak, Teri cleared her throat and looked up.

"Mother, Father, these are my friends Edward and Alphonse. They helped me earlier." Her eyes met her parents and a feint look of understanding appeared on their faces. She had explained to her parents while her guests had been in their rooms why she was late coming home and why two "boys" had "followed her", as her parents had so put.

"So, you two helped our daughter earlier I hear." The mother said calmly. It was clear that despite what they had done, it didn't make her any happier to speak to them. Her dull, uninterested tone told them that much.

"Uh, yes ma'am." Al replied quickly, sensing his brother's anger increasing by the second. He _hated_ that condescending droll that was nearly rippling off her. "Though it was really my brother who did most of the work."

Ed took a silent, deep breath before forcing a smile. He waved a hand nonchalantly and gave his brother a look. To outsiders it read, "Nah! You helped too!" and so on. However, in the secret language of brothers as close as they were, it had a hidden glare and no amusement whatsoever.

The conversation went on stiffly. Ed used every ounce of willpower and then some to hold his temper in check. They were just so pompous it made him want to puke! He was extremely grateful that their daughter was nothing like them. She was kind, helpful, and polite. Not snobbish, condescending and politely rude. That didn't even make sense to him and yet they were proving such a feat possible.

Each time the tension became nearly tangible and easily cut with a knife, Teri was the one who would change it's direction into more comfortable grounds. As they chatted, Alphonse let slip that their father, Hohenheim, had been the one to help them become reunited after having been separated for many years. Of course they had kept quiet about the whole Thule Society being involved, the Gate, and the fact that they weren't even from this dimension.

The parent's eyes widened. They turned to look at each other then back to the two men at the table. "Hohenheim you say?"

Al glanced at Edward who merely shrugged. There was really no denying it now. They knew their father had made a place in this world, seeing as how he couldn't go back to Amestris even if he wanted to. The extent of his place being known, however, hadn't even crossed their minds until the parents had suddenly dropped their cold masks of disinterest and appeared quite the opposite.

Teri, Ed, and Al all blinked at the adults' sudden change in demeanor.

"Um..." Al turned to his brother and sighed, noting his equally confused look. If he didn't know why the mention of their father's name had brought about this sudden change, then the only ones who knew would be the ones who were suddenly being nice to them.

"Darla! Come here and bring us some Belgium Chocolate!" The mother called to a maid who instantly bowed and left the room for said treats. Turning back to the boys she smiled and winked, a finger waggling at them in a playful manner. "You haven't lived until you've tasted genuine Belgium Chocolate."

The Brother's blank faces slipped into smiles at Teri's happy, "Yes!" as she punched the air in excitement. It must be good if Teri was doing a happy dance in her chair.

The maid came back through the white doors connecting the dinning and living rooms and carefully placed the plates containing the small pieces of chocolate in front of each person.

Ed noted the lack of thanks the parents gave the maid and mentally glared at them. In fact, they had ignored her altogether. Even if she was doing what she was hired to do, a simple thanks always made someone's day. He smiled at Teri's quiet thank you and repeated the phrase along side his brother as the plates were set down. With another bow she took her spot in the corner of the large room in case she was needed again, a smile on her face.

The Brothers looked at the pieces, wondering what to do with them. They knew they were to eat, of course, but this was Ed's first time eating such a food. Having been many other places, there could be something special he had to do, be aware of, or maybe there was nothing to it at all.

_'You can never be too careful.' _Ed thought with a grimace, remembering his past experience with escargot in France. Especially since someone in the kitchen had thought it would be funny to exchange the escargot for a live one. _Not_ fun.

They mistook his grimace for being directed at the chocolate and instantly assured him it was delicious. "Go ahead and try some, sweetie." Ed suppressed the urge to twitch at the name and instead did as he was told. Slowly he picked it up with his right hand, as if using it would ensure his safety if it ever decided to unexpectedly come to life and bite him.

They all watched curiously as he looked at it, turning it every-which-way to get a better look. It didn't look like it could come to life... He laughed mentally. Of course it couldn't come to life! It was a piece of...chocolate. He'd heard about this delight but never had any himself.

Nervous gold eyes flickered to their right and met with amused, reassuring gray eyes. Alphonse had had some before, he knew that. How could he not. The boy had been raving about it for nearly a week. Maybe that was why he was hesitating...

"Brother, just try some!" Alphonse urged, his voice full of exasperation. It was just chocolate!

"Fine." Ed grunted, parting his lips and popping the small piece into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. His face was blank but his eyes were swimming in wonder that only Teri could catch from her angle. She stifled a laugh, placing a hand over her mouth.

"So-" Mrs. Hills began but stopped when Ed grinned before picking up another piece and eating it. His grin spread from ear to ear and sighed contentedly, "Where has this been all my life!"

Laughter broke out amongst the table-mates. The maid watched in silent amusement as Mr. Hills threw his head back and laughed, all other eyes watching the shorter blond scarf down the rest of the small chunks of fine chocolate.

Al decided to keep the fact that milk was included in the recipe to himself. That was no reason to skip out on such delicacies. Besides, his brother deserved a little indulging every once in a while and this was a new one to add to the short list.

Time seemed to pass by as they exchanged stories, remaining at the table long past dinner. Alphonse laughed at a joke Ed didn't get, having to do with cats of all things.

"So," Ed began, clearing his throat. "how did you know our father?" The slightly cold tone used on the last word threw the Hills for a loop, slightly confused. Shaking off the strange feeling radiating off the young man, Mr. Hills answered.

"He was one of the men who helped us in the war, son. Post war he came down here and just so happened to come into town. We met him and gave him lodge. In fact, he was in the room you're currently staying in, Edward." Ed groaned, letting his head fall to the table with a thud.

"During his stay here," Mrs. Hills took over, eying Ed, wondering why mentioning such a thing had caused him to seem suddenly regretful for asking. "he told us many stories. Some were hard to believe." She laughed as she reminisced.

"What stories?" Al asked calmly, rolling his eyes at his brother who was currently banging his head on the table. No doubt he was making dents in the wood from hitting it with his hard head. He mentally laughed at the thought.

"Well," Mrs. Hills gained a thoughtful look as she placed a hand on her chin. "He always mentioned something about alchemy and a gate of some kind. Something about leading to another-"

"world?" Ed supplied, sitting up straight and looking very serious. Even Al was caught off guard by this sudden change of face. His chin rested on steepled hands, his golden gaze watching the two adults carefully.

Mrs. Hills nodded slowly, her husband glancing between the two brothers. There was something off about this. They seemed tense and the glint in their eyes hinted at their knowledge of the subject.

Those in the room were caught off guard once again by Ed's sudden laugher. The sandy blond looked down at his hands in his lap. Gray eyes held a hint of remorse and sadness that made everyone's heart wrench, especially Ed's.

Pools of gold dulled along with the laughter, a forlorn look slowly adorning the older sibling's face. "Yeah, our Dad was a great man. A great...story teller too." Ed finished with a sigh. He abruptly sat up, starling those remaining, and politely asked to be excused.

Mrs. Hills nodded, her young blue eyes casting the blond a concerned glance before turning back to the younger of the two who was still watching his brother's retreating back. He let out a sigh, turning back to them, the corner of his lips curved downward.

"Did I say something to upset him?" She asked Al. The brunette shook his head and also asked to be excused. Just as he was about to walk away, he turned back around and said with a sad smile, "Talking about our Dad doesn't go well with Brother. He didn't like him very much, leaving us and our mother for ten years, only coming back after she died. When they finally did make what you could call amends, he...well, he died."

The mother's expression softened as she watched the boy's retreating figure follow his brother's.

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_**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE!!!**_ Once the next chapter of Dual Sympathy, Aquamarine, and this story, Soul of the Guardian, are all posted, I will be putting up a poll on my profile and the story that will be most focused on will all be up to **_YOU_** readers! So please for the sake of yourselves and the other readers, VOTE! And review. Reviews are nice. They're like chocolate...yums...

Oh! And one last thing I almost forgot to mention. I have started thinking of ideas for a sequel to my oneshot Edvy. I have the Prologue typed up and some, if not most, of the first chapter typed up as well. I randomly started thinking about it recently, especially now that the actual writing part of my writer's block has been mysteriously and sudden lifted. Kinda odd how that happened, but I'm not complaining. XD Let me know your opinions on this too, please!


	3. Chapter 3

And yet another chapter of Soul of the Guardian comes into existence! Let me hear a "Whoop whoop!" XD

I think I'll leave the Poll open just a little longer. Another week perhaps? So, if you haven't voted, please do. I want to make sure I base whatever decision I make on a large number of votes instead of just a few, as that would be unfair to the other readers who may have another opinion but just didn't say anything.

Disclaimer: Nope. I got nothin' on the amazing Hiromu Arakawa. She gets first dibs, leaving us writers to use only scraps of material to write fanfictions with. Oh hey! There's one right in front of us! (looks down) o.O

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_**Soul Of The Guardian**_

_**Chapter 3**_

Ed stayed up for another hour or so, reading over his Journal about their travels then added in that day's entry. After he was done with that, he tried to go to sleep but found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.

Instead he decided to take a look at the other Journal, the one where he wrote down everything he could remember about Amestris and the people of the World of Alchemy. He decided to add things to what he already had: Homunculi, the Philosopher's Stone and things about his and Al's journey, the State Alchemists and the entrance exams along with the annual recertification exams, his mother and his and Al's attempt at bringing her back as well as the price they paid and what happened in the end to get each other back to the way they were and what they had to do to make it so.

On the next page was more. All of the people he knew and met along their journey, the lessons they learned along the way, what lessons he taught to people (Ed laughed, rolling his eyes and smiled as he remembered Yoki's face after the gold reverted back into it's original coal form), and his various experiences with those people.

He had each subject divided into sections, each with a little extra room just in case he remembered something and wanted to add it or just got bored and wanted to add in some note.

After everything that transpired today, he couldn't help but realize the few things missing from the confines of bound parchment. He reached deep into his mind, clawing at his memory for flickers of his past, his face scrunched slightly in concentration.

Ed beamed as flashes of names, phrases, and pictures came rolling into his consciousness. Within seconds his pen was scratching the paper's surface, scribbling the bits and pieces that came to mind then and there. Alchemy, the Law of Equivalence, and the various arrays that surfaced from the far corners of his mind where he had taken note of them and shoved there for future reference.

With skillful precision, he drew each array, taking care to make each line straight and each angle no fraction of a degree more or less than it should be.

There was the basic reshaping array, an array so simple that even a toddler could use it without any backlash. Of course that was only because they normally didn't have enough energy to put into the array to make it have too much. That was the only way to make it rebound, by having too much energy circulating in the circle.

Though in his world it was illegal and forbidden, considered a taboo even, for a number of reasons, Ed knew the designs for human and animal transmutation from both his own research and when he was looking through Shou Tucker's notes.

For a moment he stared at the arrays, remembering the combination array that was used when fusing two creatures into one, just like the bastard had done to his own daughter and dog. '_Nina...'_

Edward shook his head, blinking away the tears. Crying wasn't going to bring her back. Nothing was. Even if he had been back in his own world where the science of Alchemy existed instead of rockets, he wouldn't dare make the mistake of trying to play God and attempt to resurrect the dead like he and his brother had tried with their mother.

What was done was done. Nothing more to it. No matter how hard he wished for her to be human, alive, and safe, it would never be a reality. Life wasn't that nice.

The blond sighed, flicking the ends of his pony-tail behind his shoulder before pressing on.

A smirk found it's way upon his lips as he recalled the array stitched on the back of the bastard Colonel's gloves. Wait, last time he heard he'd been promoted. Bastard General.

Ed blinked. He let out a growl and ruffled his hair, trying to find another insulting name he could call Mustang and make it flow. After five minutes of glaring at the far wall and still getting no results, he finally gave up and made a note to think of a new name later for his own personal amusement.

After finishing the flame and various other alchemic arrays and symbols, he closed the journal and wrapped it. Lazily he placed it back on his nightstand and finally fell asleep.

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Ed woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon, something he hadn't eaten for a _long_ time. He threw on some clothes and trudged downstairs, sleepily greeting the family and his brother.

When they were close to finishing their food, Ed looked down at the milk.

"_Brother_." Al began, getting his brother's attention. "What?" He asked, lazily looking at his brother. "I think you forgot something." Al said, pointing at Ed's placemat.

Ed looked down. "Hmm. Just my plates and silverware. Nothing I haven't touched." Al's eyelids drooped slightly and finally said, "You didn't drink your milk."

Ed's face contorted for a moment in disgust before he closed his eyes, folded his arms behind his head, and leaned back into his chair. "I don't see any milk."

Al glared at his brother, tired of his refusal to drink milk. Then a thought occurred to him. A grin replaced his frown and his eyes glowed playfully, "You know, Brother, not drinking your milk is why you're so..._short_."

Ed instantly pulled forward and slammed his hands onto the table, facing Al with an enraged expression. "Who are you calling so short you ca-"

Al grinned mischievously as he grabbed the cup of milk with one hand and held up the other hand. Before Ed could react, Al slapped the back of his head, making him stop mid rant, mouth wide open.

Perfect.

Al didn't give his brother a chance to comprehend what had happened, let alone what was going to happen next. Ed blinked as he stared at Al who pulled the now empty glass away from his open mouth. It didn't take long for both the white liquid to finish pouring down his throat and the realization of what had transpired to hit.

A growl of rage erupted from Edward's mouth as he tried to wipe off the taste of milk off his tongue. Waterfalls of tears poured down his cheeks as he tried desperately to make it go away, but to no avail. Al was on the floor laughing hard.

Teri couldn't help but join in too. An adult, whining over having to drink milk then trying to wipe it off their tongue. Definitely not something one sees everyday.

Ed finally got over having milk forced down his throat, after chasing Alphonse throughout the house and getting lost. The two brothers, once reunited thanks to the help of the maid from dinner, decided to check out the town. Even though they were on vacation, the urge to learn more, especially about the cotton machines used for harvesting loads of cotton at once, was hard to ignore.

As they were off on their little trip around the city, Teri stayed home, claiming she had some things to do but would try meet up with them later.

When they were out of sight, she ventured upstairs, looking for something when she came across Ed's wide open door.

Unable to help herself, she gave into her curiosity and looked around. Maybe she could learn more about those boys, or at least Ed.

She came across the two Journals on his nightstand. The first one she found was unsurprisingly in German, some of it in English. Since she had started studying German before the war started, she understood nearly every word.

Teri read about their journeys across the world and learned that their goal was to learn as much as they could about this world and put their knowledge to great use. As she read, she wondered what this great use could be.

She put that one down noticed the second one and picked it up. The contents shocked her and yet she couldn't help but read it several times over. She absorbed the information like a sponge and wondered, if all of this was true even at one time, why they don't use it anymore?

As she read on she learned about their "past" and learned that the reason why they couldn't use alchemy was that this side of the Gate's scientific discoveries had taken a different path then in the World of Alchemy. That explained why they decided to travel the world and learn everything they could about it, why they had turned their attention from studying alchemy to studying this world.

She heard the familiar laughing voices of Ed and Al as they approached the house and quickly put the Journals back the way she had found them. When she felt it looked like no one had been in his room, she quietly raced out.

That night she took out some paper and drew some of the arrays on the papers, labeling them and writing down the same descriptions as the ones Ed had in his journal.

There was something missing though. Alchemic energy. She didn't have that and she never did. But Ed, and apparently Al as well, had once held this power. In his journal he had also stated a quote from his father, "Within everyone lies the smaller version of the Gate. You must open the Gate that's inside you. Only then can you find your way back to your true home." and by opening that within himself, Ed was able to come back from this side of the Gate back to his world.

Maybe if they wanted to go back to their world badly enough they would help her learn more and maybe, just maybe she could somehow help them.

With a smile, she put her drawings away and went to sleep, hope and determination running high.

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"No." Ed bluntly answered. Teri's shoulders slumped in disbelief.

"Oh come on Ed! I want to hear those alchemy stories! Please?" She begged, even using her puppy dog eyes, but to no avail. Ed waved her off, walking back upstairs to his room after having come back from the stables where they kept the tractors. He had opted to fix one in exchange for their staying there.

"_Equivalent Exchange." _Ed had told them.

"Not now. Maybe later. I'm going to go take a shower. _Maybe_ after dinner." Ed finally said as he climbed the stairs and disappeared out of view.

Teri quietly let out a small, "Yes!" before responding to Al's call coming from the kitchen.

Al was washing some dishes and got some others out as he prepped for dinner. Teri raced into the room and stopped next to him.

"Yes, Al?" He turned to her and smiled. It was then she noticed the black apron he wore, borrowing it from Mr. Hills, and the half peeled apple in his hands.

"Why are you making dinner?" She asked bluntly as she approached the counter. Al's smile widened as he resumed peeling the apple.

"I felt that I should, at least once during our stay. I mean, Brother is helping by fixing some of the broken down tractors and so I decided to earn my stay by cooking." Al looked from his finished apple to Teri who had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Equivalence?" She asked without thinking. She tensed slightly as Al glance up at her.

"Huh? Uh, yeah. Equivalence." He smiled, looking back down at the apple he was going to peel next. _'Does she know about Equivalent Exchange? Well, it is a well known idea in this world. I think it's referred to as the barter system...'_ Al thought to himself as Teri watched him.

_'That was close.'_ She thought. _'Last thing I need to do is reveal the fact that I went snooping into Ed's room and read all about their world.'_ She sighed then blinked. _'Their world? Yeah, if only. It'd be pretty cool if someone from another world really did come here.'_ She added, a sad smile forming. _'That way, if they wanted to go back, they could hopefully bring me with them and I wouldn't be stuck as some Cotton Farmer.'_

"Is something wrong?" Al asked, having noticed Teri's sad smile. She perked up a little and forced a happy smile. "No! No, it's nothing. I was just thinking about how cool your guys' stories are."

Al raised an eyebrow as he rested his arms against the curved corner of the counter, pausing his apple peeling. "You've already heard our stories? Did Brother tell you already?" Al asked, searching her face. It wasn't hard to tell she was nervous.

"Uh, no! I mean, I-I heard some stories from my parents ages ago. I was just thinking about how cool your guys' stories are...in comparison." She stuttered a little but pulled it off. Al blinked and finally smiled. He nodded and took back to peeling the apple.

Teri silently sighed in relief and stared out the kitchen window for a few seconds before turning around so her back was against the counter.

"Al?"

"Hmm?" He answered, concentrating on getting some stray pieces of apple skin off. "Do you and Ed really believe in those stories?" She asked, turning to him and added, "About Alchemy and stuff."

Al put the apple down on the sterilized wood cutting board and looked up at her. He let out a small sigh and looked around briefly before leaning in slightly, whispering, "Between you and me, Alchemy is real. It's as real as the sky, the ocean, the very air we breath. But because scientific progression on this side of the Gate is different than that of our side, rockets and steam powered engines progressed here while Alchemy did so in our world."

Al pulled away and closed his eyes, wiping his brow with his forearm with a smile on his face. Teri smiled, happy that at least one of the Brothers had told her something about Alchemy. Al had claimed it was real, but being a natural born skeptic thanks to her parents, she couldn't help but doubt its existence. Her creative sighed believed it, but her logical side shunned such a claim. Was it just some small story that was told to only those interested, or was it really true? Was it fact or fiction? If only she could get some proof.

"Al, I heard from my parents that your father was from the other side of this Gate. Of course I've always thought of it as just some joke, some story my parents joked about. But, if it were true, wouldn't that mean that you and Ed are from the other side as well?" Teri asked innocently, turning back to the window. She watched the younger brother from the corner of her eye and smiled slightly at his reaction.

The tension in Al's body quickly melted away as he turned to her, smiling.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's about right." Al said as he let out a sigh. "We came from a country called Amestris-"

"Sorry Al, but why don't we go up to your brother's room after dinner and both of you can tell me all about your world?" She turned to him and grinned. Al blushed slightly and nodded, turning his attention back to another unlucky apple.

"Thanks Al. I can't wait to hear all about it. See you later!" She laughed and waltzed out of the room, leaving a red faced Al to peel apples with lighter skins than his own.

He blinked then slapped his head. He was going to ask her something. If only he could remember what it was...?

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After Ed got out of the shower and got his clothes on, he went back into his room and closed the door.

He slowly made his way over to his bed and carelessly plopped down onto it and stayed there for a few minutes, staring aimlessly at the ceiling.

His thoughts drifted from tractors and rockets, to Alchemy and automail. Absently Edward lifted his right arm and pealed away the flesh colored material covering the automail underneath. This time he was taking more care of it, preferring it much more to this world's prosthetics.

Of course since he had a technology that didn't otherwise exist in this world, he had to keep it a secret. And, since it worked so well to be able to pass as just another human arm, getting the right kind of material to make it look like one was a breeze.

He stared at his fake arm, remembering how he had gotten it, how it had helped spark the four year journey to get back his brother's body and his right arm and left leg, how he'd been able to get his younger brother's body back but at the price of being on this side of the gate, and how two years after that they had been reunited.

"It's close to being three years since Al and I had found and disposed of that Uranium bomb and set off on our own journey to discover more about this world." Ed whispered to himself as he let his arm fall to his side.

After a few more minutes of aimlessly staring at the ceiling, there was a knock on the door. Ed sat up and quickly replaced the material before he yelled, "Come in!"

Teri slowly opened the door and walked in, closing it quietly behind her. Ed eyed her curiously, noting the reluctant, almost scared look in her eyes.

"Is something wrong?" He asked as he motioned for her to sit down beside him on the bed. She complied to the motion, sitting down next to him slowly.

"Ed, I was wondering..." She trailed off, not sure how to phrase her question. Ed looked at her, smiling. Gathering herself she blurted, "I want to learn more about Alchemy."

Instantly Ed's smile faltered. He folded his arms and closed his eyes as he let out a sigh. Looking back at her he asked, "Why would you want to learn about something that can't be used here?"

Her eyes became downcast, watching her twiddling fingers aimlessly before glancing back at Ed. "I don't know. I just love stories, real or not. All of my life I've been couped up in this small town with nothing but cotton fields and the same faces." She smiled and shook her head, getting up off the bed.

"I'll see you at dinner, Ed." And with that she left the room, leaving a bewildered Ed behind. He let out a groan and let his body slacken and fell back onto the bed, ruffling the satin sheets. Soon he found himself in another staring contest with the ceiling before a smile traced his lips.

He folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes for a short nap. "What's the harm in telling someone about our world? Now that the Thule Society is out of commission as far as going to our world, I guess it wouldn't hurt to share our knowledge with some girl in a small town. What could go wrong?"

With that final thought, Ed fell asleep, dreaming of the times he had spent on the other side of the Gate.

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"Thanks again for the dinner." Ed smiled as he picked up his dirty dishes and brought them into the kitchen.

"You don't have to do that Ed. We have servants for that you know." Teri's mother insisted, but Ed felt he needed to earn his stay so he and Al offered to at least clean and put away their own dishes.

When they were done, they headed out of the kitchen. Teri waited at the bottom of the stairs, having finished her dinner long before Ed and Al were done. "Could you tell me some stories now Ed?" Teri asked, a wide smile on her face. Knowing it wouldn't make a difference, he smiled and nodded. Al stared between them and scratched his head, confused. _'What stories?'_ Then it donned on him.

"Brother, you don't mean-"

"Yeah, Al, it's not gonna hurt any. We've already closed the Gate on this side so it won't make a difference." Ed told him before climbing up the rest of the stairs. Al quickly added, "Alright...but what if somehow someone gets a hold of this information and tries to open the Gate agai-?"

"No one's going to open the Gate, Al. Besides, who in their right mind would believe these ridiculous stories anyway? Let's just have some fun for once." Al nodded slowly and followed his brother up to his room, meeting Teri who was waiting on Ed's bed.

Al pulled out the desk chair and sat down on it backwards, resting his head on his folded arms which laid upon the top of the chair's backrest. Ed took his two journals and sat down next to Teri, holding up the one about their studies of this world.

"You know, instead of hearing some stories, why don't you go out into the real world and see everything for yourself, be free to travel and learn about the world you live in?" Ed asked Teri as he stared at the book. Teri looked at him for a moment before getting off the bed. Ed and Al watched as she walked over to the window and looked down at the cattle roaming and grazing, tractors being put away for the night.

"You see, I won't be able to travel like you guys." She told them with a sad smile that reflected clearly off the window's glass. She turned back around to face them. "I'm destined to stay here and run my parents' cotton farming business." She let out a sigh and slowly walked back to the bed. In a huff she let herself fall onto her stomach and rolled over slightly so she could see Ed. His sad smile reminded her of herself.

"Well, now that you guys know about why I like hearing stories, real or not, from travelers, could we lighten up the mood with some stories?" She grinned, brown eyes staring up at him with a hint of childish innocence. Al smiled and asked, "Well, where should we start?"

Ed looked up and gold eyes met gray. Both brothers smiled and thought about it for a moment. Suddenly Ed's smile became a frown.

"What is it Brother?" Al asked, curious and concerned.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about Mom before she died." Ed grinned, waving it off. Suddenly he became serious and turned to Teri who sat up on her knees and looked Ed in the eye.

"There's something I want to know before we begin our story." Ed began, his voice and gaze more serious than Teri had ever seen before. It was obvious he had been through a lot. She glanced at Al and noticed the same look in his eyes, though slightly more tethered yet holding an equal, silent warning. She turned back to Ed and nodded, ready to hear what he had to say.

"The characters of these stories have been through so much, seen so much in their lives. If you want to hear these stories now, we lay down the warning that these stories aren't all just fun and games. Their eyes have witnessed death and their souls have seen the Gate which not only keeps someone from going against the natural flow of life, but it is also the Gate between this world and our own. Their minds have learned so much from both sides of the Gate and I want to make sure you're ready for all of what we're going to tell you." Ed finished, staring Teri straight in the eye.

Al added calmly, "We don't mean to scare you, it's just that...if you want to hear our stories and the stories of Alchemy, we want you to be sure you can handle it before we go on a rant about our past-." Ed whipped his head around to face Al, narrowing his eyes. However, the damage had already been done.

"Wait, _your_ past? You mean the stories you were about to tell me, about Alchemy, were really real? Not just some fantasy stories like the ones my parents have told me?" She asked, looking between the two Heiderich brothers.

"Of course not. Al was just kidding. He likes to pretend they're real. Hell, I'd like them to be real sometimes." Ed smiled as he opened his personal Journal.

"Um, Brother, before you begin, I kind of already told her that Alchemy is real and...stuff." Al grinned sheepishly as Ed slowly looked up from the Journal. Before he could ask how much he had already told her, Al leaned forward and realized it wasn't the one they both used to write down their findings.

"Wait, I didn't know you had another Journal." Al stated as he grabbed the Journal and started reading it.

"Hey, this is..." He trailed off as he began reading more of it. He had stumbled across the much more personal views of the people Ed had met in their own world. Ed's glare became worse and finally the older brother lept from the bed, wrestling to get it back.

"Give it back!" Ed nearly yelled as Al jumped off the chair just as the elder of the two tried to grab the Journal. Al started to read more of it, this time out loud. Teri couldn't help but laugh at their antics.

"Come on, Al! I said give it back!" Ed yelled as he instinctively opened his arms wide, palms flat as they faced outward. Teri's smile melted into a confused frown as a quick flash of blue/red sparked in Ed's eyes. The next thing she knew Ed slapped his hands together and touched his left hand to his right arm sliding down the length of it from elbow to past his fingertips.

She drew back slightly in fear as blue sparks burst from his hands and arm. Instantly a silver blade protruded from his supposed-to-be-flesh right arm.

As the sparks died down, she stared just as blankly and breathlessly as the brothers standing before her did. Ed looked from his arm up to his brother and back. Al looked from Ed's arm to Teri, noting her frightened look.

"We can explain-"

Suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, Teri's face lit up and her mouth began spewing out questions."Is that Alchemy? How does it work? If it's not supposed to work on this side, then how'd you-?"

"Would stop with the questions already? I'm not sure how I did it when Alchemy isn't supposed to work here. All I did was..." Ed trailed off as he stared at his arm. Truth be told, he had no idea how he did it. One moment he was chasing Al around the room and the next he saw blue sparks dying down and his arm alchemically changed into his favorite instant weapon, the Automail Blade, as he had dubbed it _years_ ago.

"Hmm...So that's what it does." A voice said thoughtfully from the hallway. Ed whipped around and hid his arm behind his back as Teri's father came into view.

"Uh, sir." Ed laughed nervously. Teri's father smiled, leaning to the left slightly. It was then his smile faltered a little. He walked over to Ed a little faster than comfortable for the young adult and before the nearly twenty-one year old knew it, the man pulled his right arm upward so he could inspect it, pocketing the dimly glowing tooth-shaped pendent necklace he had been holding in his hand.

"Hmm...That's some exquisite work there, young man." Mr. Hills stated as he inspected the blade. "When you said you were Hohenheim's son, I didn't think you would also be able to show such power and detail." Ed smiled sheepishly, still surprised about the man's unusual reaction when he realized something.

"Sir, how come you're not surprised that not only is my arm metal, but that I was able to transmute it?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow as he awaited the answer. The man stood up straight, letting Ed's arm fall to his side and smiled.

"'Transmute', so that's what you call using Alchemy on something. He never told me about the specifics." Teri blinked and slowly got off the bed, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

"Wait, are you saying that you knew about this Alchemy thing?" Teri asked, staring at her father curiously. "Well, when I said Hohenheim had told your mother and I stories, I didn't say they weren't about Alchemy." He told her, smiling. Mr. Hills remembered something and pulled out the small pendant and held it up to Ed's eye level.

In a serious tone he asked, "I wonder, does this look familiar to you?" Ed's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing. He had seen that pendant in a dream once. It had occurred on one of their train rides while traveling from Germany into France.

_There was blood everywhere. People screaming in fright as they ran away from me. I didn't understand why. I just stood there, watching as their frightened forms retreated from my sight. Someone came up from behind me and tried to stab me in the back with a sword. He succeeded but for some reason I could only smile at the human's stupidity. I looked down and saw the sword sticking out of my gut, but somehow it didn't affect me at all. Sure I felt pain, but it didn't feel like I was going to bleed to death or anything like that. As I stared at the sword for a moment, I also noticed I had on some sort of scaly, green and black armor. _

_I glanced behind me, grinning as the human's face grew more fearful, slowly letting go of the sword's handle and backing up a few shaky steps. I could see wings large wings originating from my back and a scaled tail just like the armor I wore. I had no control of what happened next._

_My tail gabbed hold of the sword and, with a bit of effort, pulled it out. The man's eyes widened when he realized what I was going to do, but I gave him no time to react as I grabbed the sword with my clawed hand and pierced his heart._

_The feeling of blood lust lingered as I turned to my left._

_There in the window I saw my reflection. My whole body was covered in scales like an armor, my tail thrashing quietly behind my clawed feet. Great, green scaled wings protruded from by upper back and my bloodied clawed hands held something._

_There, in my hand, was a silver chain, a gold and red pendant dangling carelessly from it._

_But it wasn't the pendent or even the form of which my body appeared that shocked me the most, it was the glowing pair of slitted blood red eyes that gleamed in the darkness of the abandoned alleyway and the wide, crazed grin that exposed large, sharp white teeth._

"No, no I don't recognize it. Sorry sir." Edward replied, staring at the pendant before forcefully looking away. Al looked it over and furrowed his brow as he tried to remember where he had seen it.

Ed subconsciously glanced between his brother and his Journal. Suddenly he realized that he had shared that nightmare and a rather detailed drawing of the pendent with Alphonse. The picture currently resided in his personal Journal, folded and slightly worn and weathered.

"Oh yeah! I remember now! I've seen it somewhere. Not really sure where. I think it was-" Al started only to be cut off by Ed's motioning for him to stop. The younger Brother's shoulders slumped but he said nothing more about it.

Mr. Hills eyed the boys carefully before placing the pendant back into his pants pocket. "That's alright. Just thought I'd ask." He smiled as he turned towards the door. Mr. Hills glanced over his shoulder and added, "Oh, Ed?"

"Hmm?" Ed replied, looking back from Al to Mr. Hills. "You might want to change back your arm." He finished with a friendly smile before he left the room.

Ed blinked and looked down to his arm. Without a second thought Ed clapped his hands together and changed his Automail Blade back into his regular automail arm. He fixed the flesh colored material on his arm so that it covered all of the metal.

"That was...interesting to say the least." Al barely stated before Teri pummeled them with story requests. After all, now that she had her proof, she wanted to learn all about Alchemy. Maybe there was hope in being able to use it. She squealed in delight at the thought.

Ed and Al glanced at each other before Ed swiped the Journal from Al, earning him a small whine, and began telling her their life story, "It all began in a small country town called Resembool..."

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From just outside the room, Mr. Hills stopped in the hall and glanced back to the slightly ajar door.

"So it seems that this is the catalyst for using Alchemy here." Mr. Hills whispered to himself as he held up the slowly dimming pendant.

"The Mistress will be pleased." He grinned wickedly as he quietly treaded down the stairs.

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Below the house was a secret basement that not even the longest working maid or butler knew of.

The single room was dark, a lone fire lighting up the room from it's center. Along the walls were various mythical objects, some over thousands of years old. On the far side of the dungeon styled room was an alter of some kind. The object above a demonic shaped alter was a dark green, almost black serpent shaped scale floating a few inches from the alter's black and red surface.

"The time is close that we will be able to return to our world and revive our long dead Master." A voice spoke from under a dark cloak as Mr. Hills made his way down the descending staircase. A wicked grin grew on his face as he took his final step from the stairs and bent onto one knee, bowing to the cloaked figure.

"Yes, Mistress. Our waiting will soon come to a close." Mr. Hills stated, his grin growing impossibly wider. He stood up and walked closer to his "Mistress" and pulled out the pendant from his pocket. It still glowed slightly, but not as much as it had when Ed had used his alchemy.

The "Mistress" turned around at the strange light, her black cloak spinning just behind her sudden movement. Quickly she swiped it from his grasp and turned back around, examining it closely. After a few moments she paused, glancing over her shoulder as she eyed her loyal follower.

"Who sparked the flame within this pendant?" Mr. Hills cleared his throat and answered, "It was the older brother, Edward Heiderich, who performed Alchemy, _but_," He added just as his Mistress was about to exclaim something. "It was the younger brother, Alphonse Heiderich, that seemed to recognize the pendant."

The woman stayed silent, merely nodding as she gave the pendant a quick look over once again.

"Very well, it seems we'll eventually need both." She began, turning to face the alter. Black high heeled shoes brought her to the alter just a foot away. A smile graced her lips as she watched a scale from her Master's armor float there above the alter, a slight red hue around it.

"Shall I prepare the..._material_?" Mr. Hills asked mischievously, awaiting his Mistress' orders.

"Yes." She answered, keeping her attention on the reptilian scale. "Can you be done by tomorrow night?" The Mistress asked, turning around to face her follower. He smirked and nodded, bowing before he left her presence.

When the sound of the door closing reached her ears, she turned back to the scale and grinned from beneath her hood.

Holding up her hands she hissed in delight, "Finally! Soon you shall be revived and we will once again rule that pitiful world, and perhaps even this one as well."

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Please review and remember to vote!


	4. Chapter 4

Okay. Where to start... Um, school, work...yeah. That pretty much explains the lack of personal time, a.k.a. writing time. I was really hoping to get this posted sooner, but life decided to throw large tests, a college-level essay, and work after school on most days and on the weekends at me. All in nearly one go. *Sigh* But, here it is. Chapter 4. My favorite chapter of this story (so far). Enjoy! ^^

Disclaimer: Uh, yeah. I got nothing but my laptop. But even that was bought by my Dad and under his name. So I guess I just use it? Pooh...

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_**Soul Of The Guardian**_

_**Chapter 4**_

Golden eyes fluttered opened, lazily staring at the ceiling. A strange feeling washed over him, making him shiver lightly.

_'I wonder how much stranger today is going to be compared to yesterday. I mean, I thought Alchemy was supposed to be impossible on this side of the Gate.'_ Ed thought as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his left hand.

_'Maybe some places in this world allow the energy needed for Alchemy to run both ways...But then does that mean that there are a lot of deaths occurring, not being trapped in some stone, on the other side?'_ Ed thought worriedly before a knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts.

Ed didn't bother moving as he yelled, "Come in!" Al's head popped in the slightly ajar door, coming in and quietly closing the door behind him.

"Is something wrong, Al?" Ed asked, propping himself up with his elbows.

"Brother, about yesterday...I think something bad is going on around here." Al said, getting straight to the point. He took a step forward and added, his voice slightly more urgent, "Alchemy isn't supposed to be used on this side of the Gate and yet somehow you were able to transmutate your arm!" Al exclaimed, flailing his arms about as if using them to emphasize his point.

Ed sat up completely, making room for Al to sit next to him on his bed. Al took notice and did so.

"Brother, do you think it's a bad idea to stay here? What if there's something here that may allow someone to open another Gate into our world? What if we somehow have something to do with it?" Al whispered, searching Ed for some reaction. He only remained silent as he thought about what Al had said. After a moment, Ed finally sighed and nodded.

"Alright, alright. We'll pack up our stuff and leave tonight, okay?" Ed asked as he sat up straight and yawned, stretching out the kinks in his back. Al's frown melted into a smile as he nodded vigorously. He hopped off the bed and walked over to the door. Before he opened it to leave, he turned back to face his brother.

"Thanks, Brother. It was nice to take a break, but I think we should make our way over to the West Coast for some research on hydroelectric technology then swing back to Massachusetts to see the first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn." Al said before leaving the room.

Ed let out a sigh and let himself fall back onto his bed, staring at the ceiling once again.

"Al's right. We _should_ get ready for our journey." A smile spread across his lips as he felt his excitement grow. He couldn't _wait_ to see that launch! The growl of his stomach broke him from his thoughts of how the rocket would be and its first flight.

He grinned and sat up, placing a hand over his stomach, "Guess I should eat first. After that Al and I will let the Hills know about our departure tonight."

With that, Ed got up and took his shower. When he was done, he got dressed into that day's outfit, the same as his brown one but only a lighter shade, and made his way downstairs.

"So, how was your sleep?" A voice asked from the bottom of the stairs. Ed looked up and smiled at a rather cheerful Teri. Today she was wearing a light blue knee high skirt and dark blue flats. Her dark blue sleeveless top made her dark brown eyes stand out, her braided brown hair hung gracefully behind her back.

"Um, it was great?" He answered, a little confused. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Just thought I'd ask." She smiled and entered the kitchen.

Ed blinked and looked around the room for a moment. Something felt amiss, but he couldn't put his finger on it. _'Oh well.'_ He thought as he shrugged his shoulders and proceeded into the kitchen.

Ed was greeted by Teri's parents and Al who was already halfway through his eggs and bacon.

"Good morning everyone." Ed smiled back as he sat down for breakfast. It wasn't long until one of the maids brought over his food. He thanked her and, much to his disgust, she gave him a slightly surprised expression. How could these people not at least _thank_ their staff? At least Teri had the decency to do so, but the parents... Ed shook his head and decided to just let it go. There was nothing he could do and besides, it wasn't his place to say what these people could and couldn't do. With a silent exhale of breath, Ed dug into his food.

After a few moments he stopped eating and put down his fork. Everyone looked up at him. For the first time he had been there, they all had noticed that he never stopped in the middle of eating his food. He would always wait until he was done to say or do something.

"Um, Al and I have something to tell you." He began, glancing at his brother who nodded. Al put down his fork and stood up.

"We're planning to leave tonight. We've been enough of a burden on you and thank you for your generosity, but it's about time we continued on our journey." Al told them, a sad smile on his face.

Mrs. Hills smiled and nodded in understanding. Mr. Hills looked between the boys, a small hint of surprise and even anxiety in his eyes.

"So soon? We don't mind you staying for at least another day." He told them, forcing a smile as he tried to hide his nervousness. They couldn't be allowed to leave before the preparations were complete.

"Yeah! Why don't you at least stay for the town's monthly barn dance? It's sponsored by my parents to keep the town's moral up when times get rough or even when they're not, considering how small this town is." Teri explained as she did a small twirl with excitement, having already finished her food. She always loved going to parties. Being in a small town, one makes do with what they have, including monthly parties to spice things up a bit.

"Everyone's gonna be there." She added, really trying to get them to go. These two had been the first travelers to their small town in more than a few months. She wanted to spend time with them as much as she could before they left.

The two brothers looked at each other, smiling after a moment. Ed turned back to her and answered, "Sure! Why not?"

He grinned as she lept nearly three feet into the air. Mrs. Hill smiled at her daughter's excitement. Mr. Hill merely sat there, chin resting on his propped up, interlaced fingers. He let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that things would indeed go according to plan after all.

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"Remember," Teri told them in mock seriousness as she dragged Ed by the sleeve of his shirt, Al following behind with a smile, "Just have fun and enjoy the party while you can, alright?"

"Yeah! I got it! I got it." Ed mumbled, trying to get his sleeve loose from her rather tight grip. Being in a small town, it didn't take long to make it through the many houses to the town's large barn where the party was. It was nearly in the center of town, the town's park directly center.

"Would you slow down already? My legs can barely keep up!" Ed laughed as he tried to stay in step with her. Suddenly she slowed down, making him look up and around.

People he had seen around town and many others were gathered in one spot, partying to their hearts content. Teri's expression brightened even more as she flagged down some of her friends from school.

Two girls about Teri's age broke from the crowd and joined them.

"Ed, Al, these are my two best friends, Rebecca Rice and Melissa Blacksmith. I'm sure you can guess what business their parents run." Teri joked as she introduced the girls to the Heiderich Brothers.

The boys blushed as they shook hands. Rebecca was a tall, blond teen who loved the color green, wearing a dress of the color emerald which matched her eyes beautifully. Her green high heels made her a little taller, making her one inch taller than Ed and two inches shorter than Al.

Melissa was a quiet brunette, wearing a simple yellow cotton dress that flared out a little as it fell just an inch above the floor. Her yellow high heels made her stand just a few inches shorter than Ed, making the near-adult a little happier that someone, even with height added, was still shorter than him even if that someone was a girl.

"Well, girls? It looks like we should party, seeing as how these two fine young men will be leaving after the party." Rebecca grinned, turning to the now blushing brothers. She gave them a wink, only causing them to blush harder.

Before they could even try to think of a way out, the three girls dragged them off into the crowd. It didn't take long for the country music to erase their concerns and allow them to let loose as they danced.

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When the clock within the empty-barn-turned-dance-hall rang at ten, everyone slowly stopped dancing or general partying and began to leave, saying their goodbyes as they headed home.

"Sorry, usually the party goes later, but tomorrow is the annual start day for the two week period of harvesting." Teri apologized as they slowly made their way out of the barn. Rebecca and Melissa waved to them before going their separate ways to their homes.

"That's okay. Brother and I should be leaving soon." Al smiled as he dragged Ed's slightly drunk ass back to the home of the Hills. Teri stopped when she noticed some blue light coming from inside the house.

Turning to Al she mentally sighed in relief, noting he was too busy with an unsober Ed to have noticed.

"Why don't you wait out here for just a moment. I have to...check to see if my parents are home first." She lied, but before Al could stop her, she had already run up to the front door and out of earshot.

Al watched silently from the edge of the property as Teri went inside. It was then that he looked up and squinted, not sure if he was just seeing things. Was there were some strange blue lights coming from inside the house?

Ed blurted out something and started laughing, forcing Al to turn his attention back to his Brother. He let out an annoyed groan as he fought to hold him up. He was heavier than he looked thanks to his hidden automail.

_'There are times when I dislike Brother's automail. This would be one of them.'_ Al thought dryly to himself as he tried to shift Ed's weight, only to have them both crash onto the ground.

"Damn. Why'd you have to drink that beer. You should have known even just one'll get you the least bit drunk." Al sighed, laying there painfully beneath his brother. Finally he pushed him off and sat up, staring back up to the house.

"I don't think she's comin' out." Ed mumbled, rubbing his head. Al glanced back at him, a little surprised that fall had somehow sobered him enough for coherent thought and speech.

"She said she'd be right back. Just give her another minute." Al said as he gave his brother a look over, inspecting whatever damage had been done. His face fell into a sarcastic smile as he chuckled at a thought that had crossed his mind.. _'Well, damage other than brain damage from too many fights, anyway.'_

Ed sat up and yawned, more than ready to just hit the hay then and there. "I don't know how much longer I can wait." Ed groaned, rubbing his temples. Then he looked at Al and sighed, "I guess we could stay the night and catch the morning train."

Al nodded, believing it would be best that his brother slept in a stationary bed then on a bumpy train as he battled the affects of a hangover. Trains and hangovers didn't go together at all. Ed, unfortunately, already knew from experience.

"Geez. She better hurry up and see if they're home or else we're going to find some other place to stay the night." Ed grumbled as he laid flat on the ground, rubbing his temples slightly harder both to ease the pain and in drunken frustration. He _really_ needed to climb into his bed and sleep.

"It's a big house, you know." Al commented as he copied his brother's position. Instead of rubbing his temples, Al folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the stars. They were a lot easier to see in such a small, country town where there was little artificial light compared to the big cities they had been to.

"I'm going to miss staying in small town like this for a while. Think we could do this again sometime?" Al asked, turning his head to face Ed. The elder brother merely shrugged and replied tiredly, "Yeah, I suppose."

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"My dear, you know what must be done now, right?" The cloaked figure asked Teri calmly. Teri looked up with teary eyes and nodded sadly, interlacing her fingers as she brought them close to her.

"May I ask, why them? They're so nice and-" She whimpered at the woman's fierce glare and pulled away slightly. The woman's frown melted into a soft smile as she grasped the young woman's chin, pulling it to the left then right as she examined her nearly flawless face.

"You are very beautiful, Teri. Wouldn't want to mess up this pretty face." She sneered before pulling away. The cloaked woman turned around and walked up to the alter. Teri stood there for a moment, wishing more than anything that this was just a bad dream.

"Wipe those tears from your cheeks and put on a good show for the Heiderich Brothers. After all, they will be the key to something spectacular and miraculous." The woman ordered, her sneer never leaving her hidden face.

"Y-yes ma'am." Teri choked, trying to bite back her tears as she ascended the stairs from the basement.

"Yes. Soon our long halted plans will be able to go back into motion and you will rule these worlds like you were destined to." She sneered, her malicious laughter echoing in the stone-walled room, the outside world untainted by her villainous cries.

Teri closed the door behind her. She turned around only to lock eyes with her father whom she had just recently discovered was a part of this sick, evil, twisted plan. She took a step forward towards the front door when something caught her eye.

Mr. Hills' smile grew into a demented grin as his eyes took on a crazed, haunted look. Teri took a step back, brown eyes widening in fright as she cupped her hands over her mouth. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks as fright took its grip on her very being.

There before her in a pool of crimson was her mother, a deep gash on her back where blood pooled around her body.

"I would suggest not being like your disobedient mother and follow the Mistress' command." Her father warned, his wicked grin growing slightly as he held up the bloodied butcher knife in his hand.

"When everything is all set up, we will come out and do our part. You just have to get them to the location." He explained, holding up the weapon so she could see it clearly, reminding her of what could happen to her if she disobeyed like her mother had.

Teri gathered herself and turned her fear into hate as she glared at her father. "You are no father of mine." She whispered through gritted teeth, glancing sorrowfully at her dead mother before glaring even harsher at him.

He feigned being hurt, holding up his free hand to his chest, before grinning again.

"I'm not your true father. I only took his form so that I could be close to my Mistress and carry out her will. Now you _will_ do as you were told before I kill you too and force them to that place." He told her as his face hardened when he gave her his final warning. Teri's brown eyes widened at the news. All this time this impostor had posed perfectly as her father without her or her mother noticing.

Teri wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her dress and let out a defeated sigh. "Fine." She said flatly as she made her way to the door.

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Outside, Ed and Al were half asleep by the time Teri came back out of the house.

"Guys! Before you get your stuff, there's something I want to show you." She smiled as she ran up to them, laughing slightly at their sprawled out positions on the dirt.

"Finally! I never thought you'd get out of there. Are they home?" Ed asked as he shakily got up with Al's help. "Yeah, but there's something I want to show you before you guys get your stuff and split." Teri insisted, tugging on Ed's sleeve.

Al turned to her and said, "Well, we've decided it'd be best if we stay the night and leave in the morning."

"Oh, well, I'd still like to show you tonight. It's best at night anyway." She smiled wider as she grabbed Ed's sleeve and, for the second time that night, dragged him to the place she wanted to show them. Al raced behind them, thinking about the troubled smile Teri was giving them. It was obvious she was trying to hide something. Was she sad that they were going to leave tomorrow? Al blinked. He shook his head and tried not to blush as he tried to catch up with the two.

Teri released her death grip on Ed's sleeve so suddenly he fell roughly to the ground with an undignified yelp of surprise. He let out a loud groan of discomfort as he felt his head rattle from the minor hangover.

Al laughed, saying playfully, "You knew you shouldn't have taken that beer challenge. Be thankful you only had one before I found you and dragged you away."

Ed glared at him from the ground as he sat up. Teri, with Al's help, got Ed onto his feet and they all walked over to a grassy area.

"Isn't this the town's park?" Al asked, looking around. There wasn't anything fancy, just a few bleached light blue park benches and a thin river running through the north end of the park.

"It's nice and simple." Ed smiled as he closed his eyes, arms folded behind his head as he took in a deep breath. He loved small towns like this because of their fresh air and clean skies. He also loved them because they reminded him so much of his and Al's home town where most of his happy memories originated.

Al mirrored his brother, laying opposite of him, their heads no more than a few inches apart. They laid there in silence for a few moments, relaxing in the rare cool breeze that ran through the warm air.

Teri took this time to silently, as humanly possible, get up and walk away. The farther away she got from them as possible, the better.

"Very good. Now my plan can be put into motion." A voice cackled nearby. Ed and Al both sat up and looked around for the source of the voice but couldn't find it.

"You two boys are very alert and responsive to foreign voices than the average traveler." They looked at each other. It was then they noticed the woman between them. They rolled back, trying to get away from her instinctively only to be forcefully stopped by some invisible energy-field.

"What the-" Ed growled as he turned around. His eyes widened when they laid upon Mr. Hills whose wide, demented grin sent long forgotten chills racing down his back. His eyes widened slightly when he saw a teary-eyed Teri several feet behind him.

"What's going on? Teri!" Al asked before laying eyes on their newest friend.

"I'm _so_ sorry guys. I really didn't mean to get you into this mess. I really didn't." She cried, her legs collapsing from beneath her as she broke down into tears.

"Don't worry child. Only one of them may die." The cloaked woman laughed, watching in amusement as their expressions turned from confused to outright furious.

"What the _hell_ are you going to do with us?" Ed demanded. A blue surge of energy suddenly coursed through him. He let out a strangled cry as pain erupted through his entire body before disappearing. Suddenly a hangover didn't sound so bad.

"Brother!" Al yelled as he raced to his brother's side, worried. When Ed confirmed he was okay with a shaky nod, Al turned to the cloaked woman and glared at her. "How dare you hurt Brother like that! And for what reason?"

The woman grinned and stepped calmly through the invisible forcefield as if didn't truly exist. It had felt so real to them, too real to be their imaginations. That alone brought them to the same conclusion. She was behind the strange situation they were in and it didn't bode well with them. Not in the least.

As she approached the two, Al tried to get between Ed and the crazy woman. "I'll deal with you later." She grinned even wider, shoving him away with ease. Al could only watch from his position a few feet to the side as she bent down in front of his brother and lifted up Ed's head with a quite old and fragile hand. _'Her hands are so decrepit and yet she sounds so young!' _Al thought as he glared at her.

Anger told him to get up and get her away from Ed, but fear rooted his body to the ground. All he could do at the moment was watch the cloaked woman go through with her plan. If he could figure out what she was planning to do before things got too bad, then maybe he could do something. Until he figured it out, though, he was as helpless as a newborn kitten.

From under her coat she pulled out the same pendant Mr. Hills had showed them the day before. Ed's eyes widened as he stared into the pendant as it glowed brighter and brighter. His eyes soon glowed nearly the same color before he snapped his head to the side, closing them tight. Silent tears fled his closed eyes as he fought the intruding pain.

"There is no hiding from my Master's power, child." The woman sneered before forcing Ed onto his feet, yanking him up by the front of his shirt. Ed grunted from the sudden force and, with the pain slowly spreading and growing throughout his body, all he could do was comply.

Al stopped mid-step, deciding to take action instead of just watch and wait, when Ed let out a cry of pain. His whole body was shaking as he held his hands up to his head. The woman pulled away, cackling at the sight of Ed's pain. If there was one thing she loved, other than getting her way, was watching any creature who she believed to be inferior to her, squirm and scream in pain.

"Brother?" Al asked weakly, scared and unsure of what to do. The woman lept inhumanly fast from her spot next to Ed to behind the forcefield, watching in excitement as her plan unfolded perfectly before her.

Traces of light began to appear on his mid-forearms and glowed from beneath his pants near his lower legs. His screams of pain grew louder as he pulled his hands away from his head to around his upper torso.

A bright light tore through his shirt, revealing two circles, a smaller one within the larger of the two. Three points like the tip of an arrow broke the large circle's otherwise flawless curves. Between each base-less triangle were small, straight lines, reaching out of the circle like the points did. Finally a smaller one appeared on his forehead. They all died down until only blood remained where the light had once been.

Ed's screams finally fell silent and his whole body collapsed to the ground in a heap of pain. Al didn't waste a moment, racing to his brother's barely-conscious side. Tears of uncertainty and fear poured down the younger one's cheeks as he held his brother's head in his lap.

In a sudden fit of rage, Al whipped his head to the woman and glared at her. "What did you do to him? What do these marks mean?" Al demanded, not at all kind or forgiving as he usually was. If it weren't for the fact that both his brother's and his own lives were in danger, he would have been frightened by the never-before-used tone he had used to demand the woman of an answer. He wanted to know about what had happened and he wanted to know _now_.

The woman only smirked and answered, "All I did was make the transmutation circles your dear older brother had used all those years ago to trade himself for you, dear." She laughed as Al's expression softened, not in understanding but in confusion.

He slowly let his gaze drift to Ed who was slowly regaining his breath, twitching less and less from the dimming pain. Suddenly Al remembered something. The strange circles made sense now.

"I remember now, Brother. When we passed each other in the Gate. You still had those markings on your body before they disappeared as you went to this side and I went back to the other." Al spoke softly, his gaze faraway as he he recalled the memory.

"So that's how you did it." Al added, whispering to himself. Ed smiled and nodded, using his arms to forcefully prop himself up, ignoring the pain the best he could.

"And what do you want with me? Why did you redraw the seals? _How_ did you redraw them?" Ed asked, his gaze hard and voice calm as he stood up, still shaking slightly.

The woman gave a small laugh and put a hand up to her mouth. He presumed she was covering a smirk.

"Redraw? Try _reactivating_ the seals. Once drawn, they can be reactivated. Only those with something like...I don't know, the power of a Philosopher's Stone could do such a thing." The Brothers' eyes widened. Ed narrowed his golden pair and put himself between Al and the woman this time, clenching his fists tight.

"What stone!" Ed once again demanded. The woman let out another laugh as she pulled out the pendant she had held up to Ed's face just moments prior.

"_This_ stone." She sneered, holding it up high. Ed took a step back but held his ground. For some reason that pendant...there was just something strange about it. It wasn't the fact that it was a Philosopher's Stone either.

Ed got into a defensive stance and he asked, "And what are you going to use Al and I for?"

This time Mr. Hills answered, his grin as demented as ever. "Why, we're going to open the Gate, of course. And while we're at it, we're going to use this town as a means to replenish our Master's Stone."

"You Goddamn son of a-!" Ed began before excruciating pain surged through his entire body, the arrays on his body glowing for a brief moment. Ed fell to one knee as his shaking body made his ragged breathing seem like nothing.

"Stop hurting him! He didn't do anything to you!" Al yelled at them the moment he was at his brother's side again. Ed let out a light, empty laugh, as dulled golden eyes glanced up, hidden by his blond bangs.

"As horrible as this situation is, we may actually get to go home again." Ed smiled sadly, his breathing slowly regaining it's normal rate. Al's eyes widened as he stared down at his brother. He shook Ed by his shoulders slightly and tried to reason with him.

"Brother! Remember last time some one tried to get to our world? They attacked it and killed many innocent people. Besides, if it means sacrificing the lives of these innocent people then I'm completely against it." Ed slowly looked up, his smile now a smirk.

"You're right. I wouldn't want to wipe this town off the map like so many others in our world." Edward said, standing up and turning to face Teri. His expression became serious, his normally bright, golden eyes, lacking their usual luster and hard. "And I will not be the cause of countless deaths."

Teri backed away slightly, her gaze falling to the grassy ground. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks as guilt wracked her. All she could mutter was, "I'm sorry."

Ed's fists tightened subconsciously as his anger rose, "Sorry won't bring these people back if you just stand there and let them go through with this." It was Teri's turn for her anger to rise, "And doing either something or nothing is not going to bring my dead mother back!"

Both Ed and Al's angered expressions melted into confusion and sympathy. In a way they could relate. After all, the one horrible event that began their harsh journey was their own mother's death.

While the brothers were staring at Teri, bewildered by her sudden outburst, the woman used this brief moment of distraction to activate the Stone's power.

Ed's eyes widened as they glazed over briefly with a light, glowing blue. His mouth slid open slightly as a strange power rushed through him. The seals on his body glowed brighter. The seal on his chest became so bright it was almost blinding for a brief moment. In this time the light seemed to almost make his shirt disintegrate, revealing his bare, well-toned chest.

Even as the circle's light dimmed to that of the others, Al could see through the layer of power that covered his brother's eyes. So much pain, and Ed couldn't even show an ounce of it. No longer was he in control of his body as it was being guided by the power of the stone, the woman's influence channeled through it.

Al could only watch helplessly as his brother clapped his hands together and placed his fingertips on his chest.

The woman jumped to her follower's side and gabbed a hold of him then jumped back and grabbed a hold of Teri's frightened and shivering form.

Al was forced to cover his eyes as the light glowed too bright and Ed could no longer be seen. "Brother? Brother!" Al yelled as he too was engulfed in the light.

Just as it would have hit the three people nearby, the Mistress used the Pendant's power to protect them on their journey through the Gate and keep them from being part of the sacrifices for the stone as the whole town lit up with a large array just around it.

No one had a chance to scream or even make a comment about the large array as every last soul was engulfed in the light.

It wouldn't be for another few days that someone would come across the deserted town and label it a mysterious Ghost Town. Only this one wouldn't have any wandering spirits to dwell and frighten any passerbys.

FMAFMAFMAFMAFMAFMAFMAFMAFMAFMAFMA

Gold eyes slowly opened, waking up to white all around. As he recognized where he was, he groaned for a moment before realizing that Al had indeed come with him.

"Al?" Ed called out, sitting up in better hopes of finding him.

"Though he is here, you will not find him." A voice said calmly. Despite its soft tone, Edward panicked. He glanced around, now in search of the source of the voice. All he could really remember was a bright blue light engulfing him and waking here, with the exception of his younger brother being engulfed in that same light.

"Do not be afraid, young one. You will not be harmed so long as you are here." The voice reassured him. He felt that he really could let his fear melt away. This place didn't feel as menacing and scary as the first time he had traveled here...

Ed furrowed his brows slightly as he tried to think of when that had happened. He knew it had been bad, but for some reason he just couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Memories run thin here." Ed glanced around, hopelessly trying to find the source of the voice.

"I only appear before those in the Gate when I wish it." Ed flinched and turned around slightly, golden eyes widening when they rested upon a glowing white figure whose features were not solid. It's outlined figure made the being look young, but Edward knew otherwise.

"You! I saw you when I...when I..." Ed exclaimed before faulting. For some reason he remembered seeing this being when he briefly visited the Gate once before, but the actual reason for that was blank. As Ed tried to think about when he had seen this being, a hand on his chin, the being spoke with an invisible smile, "Do not worry. When you return to the other side of this Gate, you will regain your memories, including that of what happened in the World of Machines."

Ed's eyes widened for a moment then narrowed as he remembered bits and pieces of what had happened. "Wait...Al!" Ed shouted as his head snapped up. With a jolt he was on his feet, looking around anxiously as he searched for his younger brother. What happened to him? Was he okay? Where was he?

"Again, do not worry, he is here but cannot be seen. Now please, listen to what I have to say." The figure once again reassured Ed. The blond visibly calmed down and looked up at what he could only guess was the figure's face.

Ed agreed, on one condition, "I'll listen...if you tell me what happened to Al. Is he alright?" The being narrowed its eyes as it folded its arms. Despite the being's annoyance, it eventually gave in, letting out a sigh. There was no point in wasting precious time and energy arguing. Ed's stubborn gaze lit up triumphantly as a smile graced his lips.

"Very well. If you insist to know. However it is pointless, for the memory of our talk will be suppressed until the moment you need it." The being told him as it bent down, leaning in closer to Ed's face.

"Because you wanted to save your brother, you had to do something unforgivable." Ed's eyes widened, his breath hitched in his throat. The being leaned in closer and whispered in his ear what that was. Ed's eyes widened even further as he fell backwards, desperately searching the being for any sign of it being a lie.

The being merely shook its head, confirming Ed's worst fear.

"Do not worry. That will also be locked away until the time comes when you will need to use it. Think of it this way, at least "The Mistress" didn't get her hands on it." The being explained, letting a smile become visible on it's otherwise shapeless features.

Ed's gaze fell to his chest. He gently placed a hand to it, closing his eyes. Flashes of faces, both familiar and not, passed through his mind, voices and memories not his own rang in his ears.

"What-?"

"Those are the people of the town that were sacrificed to help get you and your brother home, along with helping "The Mistress" and her loyal follower to across as well." The being explained, standing back up.

"But why-?"

"I am willing to strike a deal with you." The being suddenly said. Ed blinked, surprised by this. Who would have ever thought that the Keeper of the Gate, Truth, would ever strike a deal with a mortal being such as himself? "Alright," Ed agreed hesitantly. "What is the deal?"

Truth folded its arms and stared at Ed seriously. "You must rid 'The Mistress' from existence."

Ed nodded.

"So...I'm going to have to kill her?" Ed asked reluctantly. He gulped, trying not to think about it too much until the time came. A thought suddenly occurred to him as he backtracked what Truth had said.

His lips cracked a smile and before Truth knew it, Ed was on the "ground" laughing very hard.

"What is so funny?" Truth demanded, arms at it's side and clenched into tight fists. This was definitely no time to slack off and have a laugh!

"I-I'm sorry. It's just what you said. I mean, it kinda rhymed!" Ed's laughing grew until finally Truth couldn't stand it any more. They had little time to fool around. Truth was a patient being, but somehow this one just grated on its nerves. He sure did make things interesting though.

With an exasperated sigh, Truth got down to business. "Edward Elric, do you accept my proposal that if you get rid of this troublesome woman, I will reverse whatever she may do in your attempt?" The knowing look in Truth's "eyes" made Ed worry slightly as he wiped the tears in his eyes from all the laughing. Truth didn't think it was funny. It didn't take long for Ed to realize he should really stop laughing and get serious.

"Fine. Because of what she's done, I would've gone after her and taken her down anyway." Ed finally agreed, holding out his right hand. It was then he noticed it was flesh and not automail. His eyes widened as he slowly moved his fingers as if moving them too fast would make the whole arm fall off.

"Your limbs once again reside in this limbo between worlds. May the reward of also regaining your limbs back motivate you, subconsciously of course. No recollection of our meeting will come to you once you pass through." Ed eyed Truth before staring at his arm then his left leg. _'I could finally get my limbs back and Al and I could be back to normal and even home with our friends...'_ A smile graced the young man's lips as he looked back up to the eternal being.

"Alright. Take down miss evil-plans and get back to normal. Got it." Ed grinned as he held out his right arm again, this time a more determined and confident smile on his face.

Truth smirked and held up a hand, but instead of shaking hands, it placed it gently on the other's chest. Ed's eyes looked up at Truth curiously before they widened. A jolt of energy was sent through him, knocking him backwards.

Ed looked behind him just in time to watch the recently appeared Gate open and black tentacles grabbed him, dragging him through to the other side. _His_ world. The World of Alchemy.

As he traveled between the Gate and his world, consciousness left him, just as the memory of the meeting between himself and the being of the Gate was pushed into the far reaches of his mind.

* * *

Alrighty then! The results for the poll!

As of Monday October 26th, 2009 65% of voters voted for Aquamarine to be my main focus! I'm sorry, for those who like this story. However, this story got third place, so once Aquamarine is finished, I'll be focusing on this story if there are enough votes, as I will put up another poll similar to the one that was up for the past two, three? weeks. This will be the last update in a while, but I'll update when I can. I'm not giving up on this one completely, just remember that I won't be focusing on this one. If I do get the proper motivation, I may be able to type up some more chapters and post them, hopefully soon. (I actually have most of this story's plot figured out, it's just a matter of having the time and motivation to type it out. *hinthint* XD )

Thanks again for voting!

Please be kind and review. Thank you! ^^


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